


Homesick

by Autobratty



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25684276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autobratty/pseuds/Autobratty
Summary: “If home is where the heart is, the worst kind of homesickness is when your heart belongs to someone who won’t let you in.”The quest is over. This crew has disbanded, and everyone has moved on and found their place in the world. Except for Rodimus.
Relationships: Rodimus/Thunderclash
Comments: 16
Kudos: 40





	Homesick

**Author's Note:**

> I feel bad for going through Thunderrod week without contributing ANYTHING, so please take this excerpt from some Angst™ ft. hurt/comfort I was working on. Let me know if you think it's worthwhile expanding on.
> 
> Be aware that this is mostly concepts and skeletal work with random chunks of plot here and there.

When Thunderclash is told how his life was saved thanks to Rodimus (and Megatron, but never mind him), he is filled with gratitude and wishes to join the crew of the Lost Light. He expresses his thanks to Rodimus, who soaks up the praise from “The Greatest Autobot Who Ever Lived” like a sponge. Although he still hates the other mech (totally not out of jealousy or anything…!), he’s not about to turn down the adoration Thunderclash all but drowns him in. 

Slowly but surely, he finds it harder and harder to dislike the mech, seeing how genuinely sincere the big dork is. However, he still refuses to let Thunderclash in past his exterior shell.

After the mutiny, he is infuriated - that walking disaster had been playing him for a fool all this time! But once finally catching up with Rodimus and co., Thunderclash completely bypasses everyone - including his old friends Ratchet and Ultra Magnus - to rush up to Rodimus. Right there, in front of everyone, he pulls the speedster into a crushing hug, throwing dignity and politeness out the window. Although Rodimus was stiff as a board, practically steaming with fury, Thunderclash held him as if he were cradling something impossibly fragile. “You’re safe,” he breathed in relief. 

When he let Rodimus go, he fell to his knees, begging for the Prime’s forgiveness. Rodimus not-now’d him, angrily telling him they could talk later. Thunderclash nodded, and did his best to focus on the task at hand. 

When they were finally safe (for a bit), Thunderclash explains everything to the others, along with Riptide, who quotes him on his desire to find “Rodimus and the others". Rodimus is taken aback in surprise. Was he… was he really the focus of Thunderclash’s desire to find them? Is that why he’d reacted so emotionally? He knew Thunderclash had some sort of… thing for him, probably because of him being his “savior” or whatever and maybe thought there was a life debt or something, seems like the kind of garbage Thunders would be all about, but he intends to find the truth.

When they get a moment alone, he demands to know exactly what Thunderclash’s intentions are. The large mech tells Rodimus that he just wants his captain to be safe and happy, and that the last thing he ever wanted was to have a hand in hurting him. Rodimus pretend he doesn't feel his spark soften a little. 

\--

Now settled in New Cybertron, Rodimus finds himself alone, and it’s slowly beginning to eat away at him. Thunderclash runs into him and the two somewhat reconnect. He notices that Rodimus has deteriorated much since they came to New Cybertron, and his spark goes out to him. He invites Rodimus to join his crew. 

“You look lost,” he admitted quietly. It stung, but Rodimus had no fire left in him to protest. He couldn’t imagine being envious of someone he couldn’t possibly measure up to anymore. It’d be even more petty than he’d treated the colorful mech in the first place. Thunders was fully braced for outright rejection, but instead, Rodimus resignedly agreed. At least it was something to do. He was never happier than when he was among the stars. 

He didn’t hate Thunders anymore - in fact, after everyone left, he was the only one that made an effort to keep him around. That meant everything to him.

\--

(Alright y'all here's the actual content, sorry it starts like mid-conversation lol)

“Just because I’m hurting doesn’t mean I didn’t get what I deserved.” 

“You didn’t deserve any of this,” Thunderclash replied. He reached out and touched Rodimus’ shoulder, soft enough that the speedster could pull away at any time, but instead Rodimus practically threw himself into the larger mech’s arms. He buried himself against the wide white chassis, wrapping his arms around Thunderclash in a warm embrace that left him stunned. Nevertheless, he didn’t hesitate to reciprocate. 

The tender desperation of Rodimus’ actions and threatened to choke him. He wanted to say something wise or comforting, but instead he ended up whispering, “I love you, Rodimus.”

Thunderclash nearly pulled away when Rodimus’ frame locked up, but the speedster showed no sign of moving. After a moment of processing the larger mech’s words, he barked a hollow laugh and said, “Y’know, hearing you say it out loud, I think I already knew.”

He didn’t respond, worried that any murmur or motion would shatter the moment into a thousand pieces of “what-ifs” and “could’ve-beens”.

Rodimus laughed again, softer this time, but Thunderclash still wasn’t sure if it was 100% sincere. “When did that happen?”

Thunderclash pressed his lips together, face taking on a pensive expression. He rubbed Rodimus’ back almost absentmindedly. “Well,” he began slowly, “I’ve always admired you. From the moment I heard of Hot Rod, the only one ever to have been hand-picked by both Optimus Prime _and_ Megatron, I thought to myself that he must be really something.”

He felt more than heard Rodimus snort against his plating. Thunderclash smiled, glad that he’d finally elicited a genuine reaction of happiness, or at least something close to it. Before the speedster could make some self-deprecating remark, Thunderclash continued. “I occasionally heard the mention of your name through the next several millennia, even caught glances of you on the battlefield, but never crossed paths with you long enough to talk to you.

“My understanding is that sometime in what would be the last century of the war, you were stationed on the planet Earth. It was not of your escapades on the planet itself I heard of, but the circumstances of your departure.” Rodimus flinched, and started to pull away.

Thunderclash let him back away, but allowed his fingers to find Rodimus’ delicate golden ones. “I heard that you stole Ultra Magnus’ ship and headed straight into the core of Decepticon territory - all by yourself - to retrieve the Matrix of Leadership.”

“Where is this going?” Rodimus said suddenly, pulling his hands back from Thunderclash’s gentle grip and wrapping his arms around himself. He sounded almost in pain. Belatedly, the captain realized he’d been forcing Rodimus to recall what was very likely an extremely painful memory. He nearly smacked himself in the head.

“I - I’m sorry, Rodimus. I was… I should’ve just gotten to the point.” Turning his back to the larger mech, Rodimus grumbled something along the lines of “you think?”

Thunderclash sadly stared at the back of the scarlet mech’s ornate helm. “I heard that the Matrix revived you, and bonded to you, proving to everyone how special you are.”

Rodimus shrugged, spoiler flicking harshly. “Maybe it knew that if it was just hanging around the neck of some dead mech floating alone in space, it was never going to get anywhere. It was a last resort.”

“No, Rodimus,” Thunderclash said, scooting closer to the smaller mech. Now within field range, the captain could sense the distress in Rodimus’ EMF, and berated himself for putting it there. “Optimus Prime asked for me to hold onto the Matrix for him for a while, and in a way, it bonded to me, but only in body. It did not bond to my spark.” 

He reached out and gently touched Rodimus’ arm. The mech didn’t flinch this time. “I know that you are well aware of my reputation, but ask yourself: if I were in any way greater than you, why would the Matrix not bond with my spark, but bond with yours? Imbue itself into your very life force?”

That gave Rodimus pause, and he turned towards the other mech but still didn’t meet his optics. Thunderclash gently cupped Rodimus’ pointed chin. “The Matrix chose you, Rodimus. _Primus_ chose you. You are _truly_ special.”

Rodimus made a bit of a choking noise and turned his head away again. “Well,” he managed, arms crossed, “thanks for the trip down memory lane, but what does any of this have to do with you falling in love with me?” He almost had to force the words out, as if he were trying to convince himself it was true. Perhaps he was.

“It has everything to do with my love for you, Rodimus,” Thunderclash sighed. It wasn’t an impatient sigh - more fond than anything else. “For millions of years I heard bits and pieces of a mech forged in the shambles of a dying city that grew to be strong and brave and worthy. I knew I had to meet you, speak to you, if only briefly. And when I finally did…” He let out a lovestruck sigh, smiling in reminiscence. “All of those qualities, wrapped up in a delicate but strong frame. You immediately captivated me, and when you began to speak - so fiery, so insistent, but at the same time caring and passionate - that, I believe, is when I began to truly fall for you.”

Rodimus actually broke out into laughter. Honest-to-god, mirthful joy. “Are you _serious?_ ” he laughed. “You fell in love with me while I was in an awful mood, after I barely introduced myself to you and then proceeded to get on somebody’s case for a reason I don’t even remember now?”

Thunderclash couldn’t help but smile in return. “Yes,” he said simply.

The plainly-spoken, honest response caused a giggle to lodge itself in Rodimus’ intake, and he swore he stopped breathing for a moment. This mech, this “perfect Autobot”, fell in love with him when he was at his worst, acting rude and childish, and still managed to look past that?

“I don’t understand,” he rasped, his face suddenly contorting in confusion.

The larger mech moved closer and placed a hand on each of Rodimus’ cheeks. “I told you,” he said, tone soft but words firm. “There are few that can boast of bravery even coming close to yours. You are quick-witted and more intelligent than most give you credit for. Your words stir fire in the sparks of others, including mine.” He smiled, a goofy little sideways grin that Rodimus had never seen on his face before. It did funny things to his fuel tank.

“You are the final chosen one of the Primes, worthy of adoration.” He removed his hands from the face of his beloved and moved to kneel before Rodimus, and bowed his head in reverence. “I was blessed for the time I was able to spend close to you on the Lost Light, and continue to be now that you are part of my crew here on the Exitus.” He lifted his head, about to tell Rodimus what an honor it was that he’d accepted the offer, but stopped short when he saw that Rodimus was covering his mouth with both hands, tears welling up in his optics.

Thunderclash immediately clambered to his feet, hands fretting around Rodimus’ frame but not quite touching. “Rodimus? Rodimus, are you alright? Did I upset you? Please, tell me wh-“  


Rodimus leapt up, throwing his arms around the taller mech’s neck and cut him off with a kiss so earnest and grateful and _loving_ that Thunderclash sunk back to his knees, short-circuiting but never once breaking contact. He tentatively wrapped his arms around the trim waist of the smaller mech, and when Rodimus made no move to push away, Thunderclash drew him closer. He smiled against his former captain’s lips.

"Thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> PYLADES: I'll take care of you.
> 
> ORESTES: It's rotten work.
> 
> PYLADES: Not to me. Not if it's you.


End file.
